Emergency indicator light for vehicle pennant

ABSTRACT

A safety light for vehicles, particularly small recreational vehicles such as all terrain vehicles, which is one or more light strips entwining the whip which supports the vehicle&#39;s pennant or flag. This invention can normally show light in a color which matches the color of the recreational vehicle. When the vehicle operator applies the brakes, the light entwining the whip changes to red to warn that the vehicle is braking. When the vehicle is overturned, or at the operator&#39;s command in the event of another emergency, the lights entwining the whip can be made to oscillate rapidly back and forth between the red and the other color that is normally shown. In this way the vehicle displays a clear emergency signal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application incorporates provisional application No. 60/756,770 by this reference. Provisional application No. 60/756,770 was filed on Jan. 6, 2006. Applicant claims the benefit of the Jan. 6, 2006 filing date pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention has not been made using federally sponsored research or development. The inventor retains all rights.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

All terrain vehicles (ATV) such as the popular four wheeled personal craft known as quads (see FIG. 1, item 1) are required by the law in many jurisdictions to sport a pennant (2) at the end of a long whiplike flagpole, or whip (3). This is to make these vehicles more visible to other traffic and prevent accidents. Whips with a light at the top are already known to the art as a modification to enhance the visibility of the all terrain vehicles. Also known are whips with light strips wrapped around them that constantly show the same color. The problem with these inventions is that they do nothing to signal the status of the systems on the all terrain vehicle. They do not change colors to signal the application of brakes or other conditions of change.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a safety light for vehicles, particularly small recreational vehicles such as all terrain vehicles, which is one or more light strips entwining the whip which supports the vehicle's pennant or flag and normally (but changeably) show light in a color which matches the color of the recreational vehicle. When the vehicle operator applies the brakes, the light entwining the whip changes to red to warn that the vehicle is braking. When the vehicle is overturned, or at the operator's command in the event of another emergency, the lights entwining the whip can be made to oscillate rapidly back and forth between red and the other color that is normally shown. In this way the vehicle displays a clear emergency signal. The light on the whip can also be made to signal that the vehicle is running in reverse. This safety improvement can be used with bicycles, boats, motorized wheelchairs, mining carts, or any other small vehicle used under conditions where a lighted safety pennant would provide safety benefits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a typical all terrain vehicle with a pennant on a whip and an entwined light strip thereon.

FIG. 2 shows only the pennant, whip, and light strip with its two leads exposed.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram which will enable the lighting and switching functions of the invention to operate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A safety light for vehicles, particularly small recreational vehicles such as all terrain vehicles, which is one or more light strips entwining the whip which supports the vehicle's pennant or flag. This invention can normally show light in a color which matches the color of the recreational vehicle. When the vehicle operator applies the brakes, the light entwining the whip changes to red to warn that the vehicle is braking. When the vehicle is overrturned, or at the operator's command in the event of another emergency, the lights entwining the whip can be made to oscillate rapidly back and forth between red and the other color that is normally shown. In this way the vehicle displays a clear emergency signal. The light on the whip can also be made to signal that the vehicle is running in reverse. This safety improvement can be used with bicycles, boats, motorized wheelchairs, mining carts, or any other small vehicle used under conditions where a lighted safety pennant would provide safety benefits. Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical ATV (1) is shown having a pennant (2) supported by a whip (3). Entwining the whip (3) is one or more light strips (4) which are the visible part of the invention. Referring now to FIG. 2, the light strips (4) can be seen to have leads (5) which go to an electronic circuit (seen at FIG. 3). Referring now to FIG. 3, a circuit diagram can be seen which will enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to construct a circuit that will operate the light strips shown as (4) in the prior drawings and operate them in the manner described herein. A transformer is used to alter the voltage and amperage of the electricity provided by the vehicle's battery, alternator, or generator so it is appropriate for a circuit driving light strips such as those used for typical similar lighted applications. A relay is present which switches the state of the circuit so that the lights either show the normal color, or alternatively show red when the vehicle is braking, or alternately flash in two different colors in emergency conditions. The flashing of the colors is accomplished by the Flasher. “Current diodes” can be used to prevent the electric current from back feeding. Of course, this basic circuit can also be used to change lights with other stimuli besides braking. The lights can be made to flash or show white when the vehicle is moving in reverse (if it has a reverse gear) in much the same way as the back up lights activate in an automobile. A switch is present to activate the emergency flashing mode. This can be a switch the operator can operate or it can alternatively be sensitive to vehicle overturns, such as a mercury switch. Finally, fuses are present to prevent damage to circuit components should there be a power surge or short circuit. The fuses are also useful to prevent fire if there is a short circuit or power surge. 

1. An indicator light for a mast on a vehicle comprising: a light strip having at least one light and electronic leads, said light strip entwining said vehicle mast; a control means having an electronic circuit, said electronic circuit having inputs and outputs, said inputs receiving a signal from control mechanisms on said vehicle, said electronic leads cooperating with said inputs and said outputs to complete said electronic circuit, and said control means using said signal to operate said at least one light selectively.
 2. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said at least one light is a light emitting diode.
 3. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit receives power from said vehicle through one of said inputs and said electronic circuit has a transformer adapted to convert said power into a form usable by said electronic circuit.
 4. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit receives power from said vehicle through one of said inputs, said electronic circuit has a transformer adapted to convert said power into a form usable by said light strip, and said electronic circuit then provides said power to said light strip.
 5. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit has a relay by which it can alter the pathway of power fed to said at least one light in response to said signal.
 6. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit has a flasher by which it can cause said at least one light alternately to flash on and off.
 7. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit includes a power source.
 8. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit has at least one current diode adapted to prevent back feeding of current within said electronic circuit.
 9. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit includes at least one switch.
 10. The indicator light of claim 9 wherein said at least one switch is a mercury switch adapted to activate a flasher by which it can cause said at least one light alternately to flash on and off.
 11. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit includes at least one fuse.
 12. The indicator light of claim 1 wherein said electronic circuit receives power from said vehicle through one of said inputs, said electronic circuit has a transformer adapted to convert said power into a form usable by said electronic circuit and said light strip, and said electronic circuit then provides said power to said light strip, said at least one light is a light emitting diode, said electronic circuit has a relay by which it can alter the pathway of power fed to said at least one light in response to said signal, said electronic circuit has a flasher by which it can cause said at least one light alternately to flash on and off, said electronic circuit has at least one current diode adapted to prevent back feeding of current within said electronic circuit, said electronic circuit includes at least one mercury switch adapted to activate said flasher by which it can cause said at least one light alternately to flash on and off, and said electronic circuit includes at least one fuse. 